The nature and extent of demersal finfish resources in deep slope waters (>200m) off the northwest coast of Western Australia are poorly understood. Existing fish trawl, trap and line fishing effort is concentrated in shallower waters (<200m), while trawling in deep slope waters...

The relationship between spawning stock size and the size of the subsequent recruitment is fundamental to fisheries science. Without a working knowledge of the relationship it is not possible to know how heavily a spawning stock can be fished before recruitment levels begin to decline. Although...